


Marriage and Other Idiocy

by monchaton



Series: Love and Other Maladies [1]
Category: EXO (Band), NCT (Band)
Genre: A lot of side characters, Adopted Children, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Chenle and Jisung are Adopted, Domestic Fluff, Drama & Romance, Everyone Is Alive, Everyone Is Gay, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, It's the Couple with some Sense, M/M, Married Couple, Married Life, SM Entertainment Artists, Swearing, Warm and Fuzzy Feelings, Yuwin are Married, a lot of couples, and Always Bickering, it's very fluffy, johnten, lots of bickering
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-01
Updated: 2019-07-08
Packaged: 2020-06-02 08:10:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,440
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19437409
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/monchaton/pseuds/monchaton
Summary: "Yuta, you absolute idiot, you imbecile, did you dress Jisung up in a Nine Inch Nails t-shirt and ripped jeans for his day at the nursery?""Oh, shut up! Not like Chenle isn't wearing a duckie dino shirt, a snap-back and cargo shorts. What is he? Thirty?"Yuta Nakamoto and Dong Sicheng have been married for 5 years, known each ten. Yuta, the life of every party, the one with his charisma and charm that enthralled all, and Sicheng with his quiet demeanour and sharp edges that dare the others to not come near him. But when paradise seems to be tumbling down on its own feet like Lego blocks placed precariously atop each other, how will Yuta and Sicheng save their marriage?Will it survive the break?





	1. Nine Inch Nails, Optimus Prime and Absolute Chaos

**Author's Note:**

> This is the first work that I will post on AO3. Overall, it has the basic characteristics of a very light romcom you could laugh over on any Friday night.   
> Alone.   
> In your pyjamas.   
> And then cry over your loneliness.   
> Well, this fanfiction will, however, lack the casual misogyny and the lack of diversity (you know, that one person of colour added to yell, ah but!1!). A lot of SM artists will be making appearances, but it depends upon how I choose to lead the story on forward as to how long they will last, and what manner their stories will be included in. But overall, this is going to be extremely fluffy and very heart-warming. There is a tragic story in the premise connected to one of the adopted children, if that upsets you, this is a TW. There will also be a lot of swearing and some mentions of intimacy between characters.   
> Overall, I can just wish you happy reading and hope you enjoy this wild ride!

**_SEVEN YEARS PRIOR_** :

It snowed outside. The tiny, crystalline flakes cascaded down from the sky as if angels themselves holding the entirety of the earth at their mercy and colouring it white.

" _Winko, my love, are you sure you don't want to take a break yet? You have gotten carried away too far, take a little break and maybe it will help your gears run?_ " Yuta Nakamoto softly attempted to coax the love of his life, his torch in times of absolute darkness from his seat at the table he seemed to be stuck to, with Velcro at that. The usually neat table, with stacks of research papers placed tidily was littered with pens, about four unwashed coffee cups, and a mangle of papers and guide materials. Dong Sicheng, Winwin to his parents, simply Sicheng to his friends and the world, and Winko to Yuta, softly shook his head, grabbing at the lamp on his study table to place it at an angle that it shone down upon the papers he was studying. Sighing, he ran his hands through his ragged lock and pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose, his focus still set on the task at hand.

Yuta had loved the man in front of him for three years. It was almost as if their everything was at sync at this point. All it took was a quick glance, a soft touch and Yuta would know Sicheng wanted to leave the party at hand to go home and do something more... intimate. It was a simple flash of hurt in his eyes, a rare show of any emotional perplexity that made Yuta realise his words might have caused him hurt. Right now, the slight crease in the boy's brow, the nervous twiddling of his thumbs, the tension that seemed to catch the sharpness of his jaw, it all told Yuta that Sicheng was tired beyond belief. He wasn't just tired, he was exhausted, and at the brink of breaking apart. The last year of law school was really testing all his patience, and slowly eating away at any sense of confidence the quiet boy had in himself. Yuta hated it. The first thing that had attracted him to Sicheng three years ago has been his air of unparalleled belief in himself and his abilities, his will to get ahead and his ability to tie himself to a task and solve it with such dexterity it mesmerized him.

But right now, the only emotion he felt was concern.

Crouching on the ground next to Sicheng's seat, he softly manoeuvred him to face him. Sicheng looked down at him, his eyes softly raking the planes of his face, and all he could feel was affection, and the feeling of being... at home. It filled all his crevices and nooks and crannies and made a small smile grace his features. Yuta clasped his hands, placing them atop Sicheng's thighs.

" _Hey._ "

" _Hi._ "

" _What's on your mind?_ " Yuta asked, softly reaching up to brush a stray hair out of Sicheng's eyes. He didn't expect him to answer, but he did. Maybe it was the tiredness making him vulnerable, or his love, But he cracked open his shell.

" _I'm scared, Yuta. I am in love with you, and it's almost all-consuming. It scares me, I am used to feeling but I am not used to bearing it all and it scares me a lot. Because you say it all, and I am scared that you will get tired and find someone who can actually word out their emotions. I am always scared that I am not good enough. All these inhibitions- they scare me."_ His voice almost cracked at the end, and his eyes seemed to be downturned, and he was almost... _nervous_.

" _Winko, babe, I understand what you feel. I love you with all my heart, and you're something I will always be fond off. Your heart holds so much and yet you almost never let it out. You're strong, you're fearless, but you feel, you grow and you care. I am proud of you. It's not Like I don't have my fair share of fears. I am always scared of t-this... growing up. I am so scared of my life going stagnant, of it coming to a stop. I am afraid of the paradox of being absolutely comfortable in a material sense, but being uncomfortable in my own skin._ " Yuta rambled out, his voice going softer. After he had spoken, he looked up at the love of his life. His sun, his moon, and all his stars. His sky smiled down at him.

And then it leaned down to catch his lips in a kiss that blazed like the fires of a thousand falling stars. Their lips moved against each other softly. Yuta could feel how chapped Sicheng's lips were and his tongue instinctively darted out to wet them and recapture them. Their breaths mingled- Sicheng's mouth tasted of black coffee and croissants while Yuta's tasted of mint and cigarettes. Almost breathless, they broke the kiss and Sicheng said, softly: " _It's almost 1:00 a.m._ _Sleep seems good."_

" _Good, let's sleep a little. You know I can't sleep without you babe._ " Yuta stood up, holding out his hand for Sicheng to grab onto.

" _Selfish. Buy a stuffie_ ," Sicheng retorted, lightly flicking his hand. Yuta could almost hear the pout in his voice.

" _No, you're my stuffie. Now are you getting up or do I have to make you change and brush your teeth,_ " Yuta commented, waggling a finger in front of the amused Sicheng's face, who cracked a small smile.

" _Very domestic of you, Mr.Nakamoto._ _Next thing I know, you put a ring on it,_ " Sicheng commented, getting up and dusting off invisible dust and flakes off his jeans, before patting the panicking Yuta on his back and leaving to change.

Yuta stopped breathing, his mind going as silent as his stomach whenver Sicheng decided to cook. " _Haha, very funny Sicheng, just fucking come to bed,_ " he grumbled, plopping himself in the sheets and switching off the lights.

The ring in the hidden in a dark corner of Yuta's work coat's pocket glinted cheekily.

**_SEVEN YEARS LATER:_ **

**_  
_**" _Yuta at times like l really do wish manslaughter wasn't illegal and I could crack your cranium open for all the_ ** _shit_** _you give me. Ah, Mr. Nakamoto wants to_ ** _cuddle_** _at_ ** _1:00 a.m._** _like we haven't been married for five god damn years."_

_  
_Yuta in response, glared at his husband who was angrily pulling on his classic black turtleneck, while briskly walking to Jisung's and Chenle's room to wake them up. He took a quick whiff at the underpants on the floor and a glance at the door to see if Sicheng was nearby to yell at him for his hygeine and when he saw the coast clear, quickly shoved himself into them. Pulling on his dress shirt, and trying to shove his legs into his dress pants simultaneously while throwing a red polka dots ( _Oh shit looks like Wendy is going to call me Sir Oompa Loompa all day,_ the thought passed his mind, but facing his assistant was too far away right now). Dashing into the kitchen, quickly threw in two toasts into the toaster and rushed to wake up and dress Jisung. 

  
As he quickly rushed to their rooms, he spotted Sicheng quickly shuffle them out of the bathroom, as they looked groggy and yawned. Jisung quirked his lips up in a small smile and whispered a small, " _Good Morning, dad",_ before walking over and hugging Yuta's leg, while Chenle waved at him and sleepily grabbed Sicheng's finger. 

  
Yuta smiled down at Jisung, and softly patting his hair, said, " _We are on a time-crunch today, honey. So I will dress you up quickly."_ Carrying Jisung to his room with one arm and shoving a toast into his mouth with the free hand of his, Yuta grabbed out a random t-shirt and a pair of jeans for Jisung to dress up in. _Unluckily,_ he failed to notice the glowing golden emblem of 'Nine Inch Nails' on the shirt. Or maybe he ignored it because Sicheng had hidden the shirt as soon as Yuta had shown him he wanted Jisung to dress up in it. As well as the ripped jeans. 

  
Today, Yuta wanted to rebel. And rebel he _would._

  
As soon as Yuta gulped down his toast and made Jisung dress up, he rushed out with his file in hand. 

  
" _Yuta, you absolute_ ** _imbecile,_** _you_ ** _fool,_** _did you just dress Jisung up in a Nine Inch Nails t-shirt and ripped jeans for his day at the nursery?"_ Sicheng gave a frustrated cry, trying to shove past him and motioned at him to lock the door while critiquing his parenting. 

_Now, Yuta lost it._

_  
__"Ah, like Chenle isn't dressed in a duckie dino t-shirt and cargo shorts. What is he? Thirty?"_ he retorted back. 

_"I am not in the_ ** _mood."_** came back a reply as Sicheng placed the children into their car seats and buckled them up before strapping himself into the place beside Yuta.   
Unbeknowest to them, the two children chattered. 

  
_"Lele, who do you think is more stupid?"_

_  
_ _"Both. Stupid."_

" _Yuta please don't forget that you need to drop me off at the grocery store real quick, you know I need to buy groceries. Because when I said I_ _needed **eggs** I meant actual eggs and not **Easter** eggs." _

_"They were **edible."**_

_**  
** _ _"It was October last week, November just started. Your point?"_

_  
_ _"My point being the fact that you're an uptight little-"_

_  
_Their bickering was interrupted by a sudden, piercing scream from Jisung ringing through the air. Muttering angrily, Sicheng turned around to see Chenle attacking the poor boy with his Optimus Prime, screaming: " _Crackhead! Crackhead! **Crackhead!"**_

_**  
**_" _Stop! That's a bad word, Chenle! Who taught you **that? Answer me!"**_

_**  
**_" _Daddy taught me that! He called you that behind your back one day!"_ Chenle screamed out, pointing at Yuta.

  
Oh no. Oh _no._

_  
_Sicheng _exploded,_ yelling right into Yuta's ear: " _You horrible, horrible man! Is that what you are teaching the kids behind my back? I have all the responsibility and you're all " **Oh, let me get you that TOY, let me get you that GADGET."** I am sick of it!"_

_  
_Now his words angered Yuta too- he could take _everything_ other than being called a bad parent. He yelled right back: " _I wonder who told you kids are to be quiet and sensible all the time, god damn it, they're **children** for a god damn reason. Good parent indeed." _

He angrily ran a hand through his mussed brown hair, almost scruffy as he didn't get the time to brush them. 

As their bickering escalated into name-calling and the children behind them had their fight escalate into fist-fights, what Yuta didn't see behind him was... 

_The sidewalk._

  
All that happened next was their brand new Lexus LX crashing into the sidewalk. 

Everything stilled for a minute. 

  
Sicheng, wide-eyed, gripped onto his seat-belt. He quickly glanced at his husband, who looked shaken in his stance but completely OK, and then whipped back to take note of the children who were very quiet and almost whimpering, their eyes wide.

  
" _Babies, are you fine?"_ He whispered, holding out his hand so they could both clutch at it. 

  
His eyes pricked with something he realised were tears. He hadn't shed any since the past five years, since the day he married Yuta. Slowly, he turned to the man he loved. He loved him, even when all he could feel in his heart right now was absolute spite. 

  
" _I think we need to take a break and a time-out from each other. This can't keep going on. I can't risk you and the children, and most of all, **myself."**_

_**  
**__"Don't worry,"_ Yuta snapped back, his voice almost dripping with venom, " _I can't **wait** for you to leave. Because you are not the man I married."_

_  
_Everything stilled again. Including Sicheng's breathing.


	2. Midlife Crisis, Soda and More Bullshit

**IT** was a very quiet taxi-ride home, with Sicheng visibly upset, as his lower lip jutted out and his jaw seemed to quiver with emotion. Yuta sat as far away as he could from his husband, the two children a barricade between them. 

  
Yuta had to pay a handsome deal to the tow-truck to get the brand new car to the repair shop. Luckily, he had an insured the car and wouldn't weigh down his pocket. Not like it would be too much of a burden if he _had_ to, capitalism favoured him that way. But o his mid right now was the impending doom his marriage seemed to have come to, just in the duration of five years. Was it that easy to fall out of love? Was that the reason for Sicheng's constant nagging and spite for him? Did he hate him? 

  
Yuta thought about this as he closed himself up in his room as soon as he reached home, slamming the door in everyone's faces. He angrily wrenched off his tie, and that suddenly sparked in him the memory of an important task- he had to call and inform Wendy, his assistant since the past six years since he had joined Soda-Pop as their Assistant Manager seven years ago. He was now 32, successfully having hit the eminent position of a Strategic Manager to the company, as well as going through a mid-life crisis which he didn't think he was _supposed_ to be having- he had just hit the mark and life was already going down the gutter. 

  
Shuddering, he kicked off his shoes and they flew to land in a corner. He tried to ignore Sicheng's voice nagging him at the back of his mind, and instead plopped down on the sheets, taking out his phone and dialling Wendy's number. 

  
" _Hey, you still haven't reached Yuta. This is the first time since forever you're running late. Everything alright?"_ Wendy bombarded him with questions, her voice having a slight edge. 

  
Whatever Sicheng might critique Yuta for, even he agreed that Yuta was very responsible in case of his work, never slacking and at times over-working even when he did it with a smile on his face. 

  
_"No, I got into a small crash-"_

_  
__"Holy_ _ **fuck-"**_ Wendy swore, and Yuta knew she was going to bombard him _once again_ so he quickly interjected.

  
" _Yes, I am perfectly fucking fine, except I might have had quite a few bruises and bumps on my new Lexus and Sicheng might be fucking angry. No, Lele and Jisungie are completely fine. And no, I can't come into work today, you inform the CEO."_

_  
_ _"Let me guess, you and Sicheng were bickering. Again. And the car crashed. And I will inform Junmyeon, he wouldn't mind either way. You already have two years worth of leaves stored up and he **wants** you to take a small break. Our company is going pretty well and you know it. It wouldn't be if Coca-Cola didn't try to sabotage our popularity in an advertisement last month."_

_  
_ Yuta grinned and let out a small laugh, despite the coil of anxiety in his stomach. He could always trust Wendy to cheer him up- she was more of his close friend rather than a colleague at this point. He then thought about telling her a bit about the trouble in paradise. " _You guessed it correctly. Sicheng and I were fighting. But there is something bigger- he isn't just angry, he is demanding a break from our marriage."_

_"Yuta, I am sorry, but you know my no-bullshit policy. I was expecting him to demand one."_

_"Wha-What do you mean?"_

_"You know what I mean, Yu. You know that you're both very, very stubborn and you need to actually converse to solve problems but as both of you are too **stubborn,** this is the next best solution."_

_"Don't blame me,"_ Yuta spat out, full of spite. " _He's the overly uptight prick here, not me. I married him, he married me. It seems more like he adopted me these days."_

_"Okay,"_ Wendy let out a soft sigh, and Yuta knew he was in for a lecture. " _You aren't helping him, Yu. You act very childishly at times, and more often you don't take responsibility for a lot of shit you do."_

She lowered her voice a bit, and Yuta could imagine her sneakily glancing around to see if someone was eavesdropping.

" _When Sicheng came to the office a month ago to pick you up, he talked with me till you got free from your meeting with that dick Sooman. He made a comment about you leaving wet towels on the floor, your socks in the shoes and...uh... not throwing your underwear in the laundry,"_ She said, stifling a laugh.

_"Well, when he married me he **knew** me pretty fucking well. He wants everyone to bend at his will, and hear me out, I will not. He's not my Winko anymore. He is Dong Sicheng."_

Wendy sighed at his remark and only replied with a short sentence: " _Maybe you should sit down with a cup of tea and a Tylenol and think about what caused that shift, Yuta. I need to go back. I'll tell Junmyeon. Take care, alright?"_

Yuta hummed and the line went dead. He had not recollected his thoughts yet when a soft knock came at the door. He got up to wrench the door open, to see Sicheng standing in front of him He looked like he had been crying. Yuta felt his heartbreak. " _I think we need to talk, Yuta. Please come to the living room. Lele and Jisungie are waiting too."_ He spoke, his voice a bit hoarse.

Yuta, being the petty piece of shit he was, replied: " _If you want to go, you can. I am not stopping you."_

_  
_ The next words were like a hammer hitting Yuta at the back of his head. 

  
" _I am leaving, but I am taking Lele."_

Yuta felt his hands, his legs, his knees go numb. It felt as if his world was crumbling. And then it all made him fucking _break._

_"Dong Sicheng, you selfish man, how dare you put_ _ **my**_ _child against_ _ **me. How dare you?"**_ He yelled, punctuating each fiery word with a wave of his arm.

" _Yuta, please stop, I am not doing that. I would never do that,"_ Sicheng cried out, and his voice cracked. Yuta stopped, breathing heavily, and turned to look at him.

" _Then what do you mean by that?"_

_"I am saying that because I am not overburdening you by leaving you alone with two toddlers, let alone one when you have minimal experience with parenting. I can't allow you to risk your career. Number two, you **know** Lele is closer to me, and Sungie is closer to you. They're asleep. I told them we are going on a little vacation. I have already talked to Mom and Dad- we will be living with them in Duoyishu for a while. That's it," _he coaxed, softly, sincerity in his eyes. 

_"Yeah, okay, alright. Well, I wouldn't care even if you wanted to move permanently. Anyways,"_ he paused for a minute and then spoke the first jumble of words that came to his mind, " _I am taking a small break too. I have a lot of my work leaves left, so I am going on a small vacation with Sungie to Kirkenes."_

Sicheng looked slightly dumbfounded, as did Yuta himself. He kind of wished Sicheng would just laugh his argument off and agree to accompany them on a family holiday ( _wait no, he didn't, why would he-he didn't care at all_ ).

" _When did you decide to go to Norway?"_

_"A few minutes ago."_

_"Alright. So, um... we can meet again on New Year's Eve. Here. And then if we need to take a permanent decision..."_ Sicheng gulped, almost crying again, " _We can talk it out."_ Nodding, Yuta turned around and slammed the door in his face, sitting down on the bed and gripping onto his hair. 

What he didn't see was Sicheng sink to the floor and sob quietly, mumbling to himself.

" _Oh god, when did we come to this?_ " 

  
**_ TEN YEARS AGO: _ **

Yuta, after his soccer practice, sat on one of the benches with his friends, Johnny and Jaehyun, passing a bottle of cold water and huffing from the exertion. 

His eyes and his mind, however, were set on the quiet, bookish, Chinese exchange student, Dong Sicheng. 

_"Stop swallowing the poor boy with your eyes. You look like you could eat him,"_ Johnny snorted, whacking his head. 

Yuta grimaced and scowled at his Sasquatch of a friend. 

" _I am not staring at him, you asshat."_

_"You were,"_ Jaehyun commented, winking at him.

" _No, I **wasn't.** "_

_"Were."_

_"_ _Wasn't"_

_"Were."_

Johnny interjected in their bickering to add: " _I dare you to go talk to him if you weren't."_

Yuta felt his blood freeze, but then he gave them a smirk that said, 'as you wish', and confidently stalked over to the boy who was reading... "The Metamorphosis"? He paused and then decided he would start off by introducing himself. 

He failed to notice the earphones in the boy's ears.

Seating himself beside the boy, he started conversing animatedly.

" _Hi, nice to meet you. I am Yuta Nakamoto, you might know me from the field. I am taking Business here. The classes are pretty boring, but it's not like I pass due to them. I am on a sports' scholarship, actually. Not as if I needed it, but it did help, haha. Anyways, what are you reading, seems interesting? I guess you're in Law, right? I wanted to go into Law, but-"_

He was interrupted by the bewildered Sicheng, who had not heard a word he had spoken, unplugging his ear and with am almost horrified look, questioning him: " _Uh, pardon, but do I **know** you?"_

Yuta could almost hear Johnny and Jaehyun cackling behind his back. _  
_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More drama, and more characters. I might be updating regularly, but that's because my Chem lectures haven't started yet. They start from next week, and my updates might be a bit sporadic after they do, or might only drop on the weekends.  
> Till then- enjoy!


	3. Hotels, Phone Calls and... Porcupines?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wrote this at 2:00 a.m. while trying to frantically juggle my sleeping and studying schedule, so this probably has typos that will make Shakespeare turn scarlet.   
> But, it's good. We get Johnten.   
> Hurray!

**_TEN YEARS AGO:_** ** _  
_**  
 _"Oh my god, you drink your coffee too light. You literally scooped in cream and sugar."_ _  
_  
 _"Well, I took less sugar today because you were already with me and you're the sweetest."_ _  
_  
As Sicheng let out a loud laugh in return and lightly hit Yuta's shoulder, they slowly walked, clad in coats and scarves to Sicheng's dorm. Yuta had promised Sicheng that he would walk him back to his apartment after the date they had at the cafe, that had subsequently turned into a bookshop date too when Yuta decided to buy Sicheng some books. Sicheng had hesitantly accepted the offer, but Yuta had felt his heart overbrim with happiness when he saw Sicheng weave between the bookshelves and carefully push up his glasses as he grinned a bit and took in the books he wanted, reading off the synopsis as if he didn't already have a list. Occasionally, he would break out his reverie of literature clad thoughts to share with Yuta some of the stories he loved. They didn't interest Yuta.  
  
At all.  
  
But the boy did. So Yuta nodded along to the stories of mythology and mystics and legends while taking in Sicheng's eyes that shone as brightly and with as much brilliance tainting them as if they were Sirius or Cassiopeia. It stunned Yuta, it scared him, and it also made his heart stutter in it's beating. As Sicheng talked more about the books he had bought, Yuta took in the mellow, melting of the sun. The yellow, the red, the faint hints of yellow. He then took in _his_ sun, who seemed to mirror the colour as they coloured his profile in their glow. They now stood at the doorstep to Sicheng's apartment, who stopped, and very slowly, said:  
  
 _"Yuta? You've been awfully quiet during this walk,"_ he then cocked his head to the side and Yuta saw that his orbs seemed to be burning as bright as the sun. " _Is everything alright?"_ _  
_  
Yuta softly nodded and stopping his breath, reached out to cup the softness of Sicheng's cheek. It seemed as if he was holding his world in his hands. Yuta felt his hands shake. He took in Sicheng's eyes. They were filled with surprise, and somewhere, in their depth, a hint of adoration.  
  
" _Yuta..."_ he whispered, his eyes falling to the softness of the boy's lips.  
  
Yuta reached down to kiss Sicheng, softly, cupping his cheeks and to his delight, the boy kissed him back, with just as much adoration. Just as he was about to pull away, Sicheng grabbed him by the back of his neck and there was a greater urgency to his kiss. Yuta reached out to play with the softness of the hair on Sicheng's neck, and let his tongue slip into Sicheng's mouth, who let out a small whimper as a response.   
  
Yuta pulled back to see his pupils blown, lips red and breathing heavy.   
  
Sicheng, in return, responded simply. He grabbed his arm and pulled him into his apartment, tossing his sanity and the shred of dignity that told him not to have sex with the hot soccer dude on a first date.  
  
  
 ** _TEN YEARS LATER:_** ** _  
_**  
 _"Hi, this is Yuta Nakamoto, from Soda-Pop's Strategy Manager. Is this Hotel Sollia? Yup, thank you. So, I wanted to book a room here, for an adult and a child. I need it for two months, at maximum... oh, alright, I will make a reservation again at the end of the 30 nights period. Please make a reservation for the room that has a clear roof and a sauna and kitchenette attached. Alright, I will transfer you the $7,000. Yup, from 2nd of November to the 31st of December. Thank you, thank you so much. Good day."_ _  
_  
Sicheng took in Yuta's babbling on the phone. He seemed to speak in a voice higher than necessary, as if to show-off to Sicheng and laid extra stress on the commodities he was acquiring. In particular the sauna. It irked Sicheng.  
  
He took to his room, softly, and sat down on the sofa, dialling his best friend's number. The best friend he had known since college, the best friend who had been just as much of a stranger to the culture as he had been. Chittaphon, or Ten as he liked everyone to address him as.   
  
" _Hi, fucker, what's up?"_ _  
_  
 _"OK so Yuta and I might have gotten into a small accident yesterday, and then I decided to ask for a break and now I am going to Duoyishu and he is going to Norway till New Year's Eve-"_ _  
_  
 _"Hold the_ ** _fuck up._** _Now, slow down because all I caught was accident, break and Norway."_ _  
_  
Sicheng spent the next twenty minutes explaining to Ten the entirety of the situation, only being interrupted by gasps and Ten swearing at him in a strange mixture of Mandarin, Thai, English and Korean.  
  
On the other side, Yuta was on call with Johnny Seo, his best friend who had seen the sparks of love between him and Sicheng blaze like fire and now slowly cool down to mere ashes. He had already called Junmyeon, who had been more than glad to let him on a break, but had expressed his curiosity which Yuta laughed off with an excuse about 'family time'.   
  
Family. Sure.   
  
As soon as Johnny picked up, Yuta bombarded him.  
  
" _Hi, imagine if Ten and you got into an accident and then you realised you are toxic for each other and decide to take a break with your hypothetical children poles apart."_ _  
_  
 _"Well good afternoon to you too, headass."_ _  
_  
 _"OK, but what would you do?"_ _  
_  
 _"Yuta... please just spill."_ _  
_  
 _"_ ** _Fine."_** ** _  
_**  
Ten had a simple response to Sicheng's story: " _You, my dear friend, have a chronic case of emotional constipation. I have been friends with you for twelve years, and you know it and I know it. You're thwarting simple human connection for a weakness. You and Yuta have been married for five years, Cheng. The least you can do is.... **talk.**_ "  
  
Sicheng, in return, gave a shuddering sigh, running his fingers through his already dishevelled hair. It was 1:00 p.m. and he had about an hour till he picked up the kids from their nursery. He had acted very happy-go-lucky in front of them and explained to them that they were going to take a small break in different places, but meet by New Year's and have lots of fun. As they were young, the children had only cheered as a response and promised to talk every day on the phone. It broke Sicheng apart, but he had to do this.  
  
" _It's not just Yuta's stupid sense of humour, or his lack of maturity, or the way he only seems to be there to boost the mood but flees as soon as it comes to actual adulting. It's also... my career. Ten, imagine you never being able to go back to the dance studio again. Imagine your life taking a turn you never saw it would. I love to be in the court, Ten. It makes me feel validated, powerful, confident_."  
  
 _"Have you ever thought about talking about this? You still haven't told him about your dance-_ "  
  
" _No, not that._ "  
  
" _Cheng you danced since you were just five. It was your passion. You were hurt when you couldn't anymore. It wasn't anybody's fault, it was a simple injury. Why are you so hesitant when it comes to talking to Yuta about it?_ "  
  
" _Weakness, Ten. **Weakness.** I want him to figure out things himself. He is tired of my chiding already._"  
  
  
Johnny sighed. A long, cold sigh that spoke layers of disappointment and a hint of irritation. " _Yuta, have you ever heard of a word called communication? Words? You know? What you're supposed to be using and not acting like a fucking child?_ "  
  
Yuta gave a small gasp of annoyance and grumbled: " _He should talk to me. He never talks to me. He doesn't smile a lot at my antics, he doesn't want my affection and he is always rolling his eyes. He's forgetting that I have made his eyes roll back in multiple ways-_ "  
  
Johnny gagged, and Yuta suppressed a grin. " _Stop you fucking idiot porcupine._ "  
  
" _A... porcupine?_ "  
  
" _You're a stingy asshole. Seriously, you need to take a moment, Yuta. Sit down and think about what's bothering Sicheng. You've known each other for ten years. A decade. Stop being a wimp._ "  
  
" _Right now I just want a break, and that's what I'm going to do. He will miss me enough to come back. I know he loves me... loved me. I do. I know that much._ "  
  
After the phones cut off, Sicheng emerged from his room, and clearing his throat, took in Yuta's appearance. Hair a mess, stubble tainting the gold of his skin, eyes heavy with the slumber of a night spent unslept. He looked broken. He turned to Sicheng, and what Yuta saw were the bag's under his eyes and the paleness of his skin. His eyes didn't seem to shine, they were dull.   
  
" _Do you want to pick up the kids from school together? I need to talk to their teacher too and show then the tickets and other stuff. You take yours too. I want them to see us together._ "  
  
" _Alright,_ " Yuta nodded, softly.  
  
As Sicheng turned around to leave, he heard Yuta calling his name softly. His eyes were mist-covered skies.  
  
" _Wear a scarf outside. It's cold._ "  
  
Nodding, Sicheng left.  
  
  
On the other hand, Johnny, after cutting off his call, plopped down on the sofa next to his husband of three years, Ten. Grinning, chest shuddering with deep chuckles, he decided to bury his head into the smaller man's lap.  
  
" _Oof, you dickhead,_ " Ten yelled, mussing his hair while changing the channel.  
  
"Tennie. Do you think Yuta and Sicheng will work this out?" Johnny worded his thoughts, a crease tainting the perfect softness of his forehead.  
  
Nodding, Ten looked down at him. " _Yeah. They have always been like this. Fire and water. They need to find their solution in the ashes._ "  
  
Johnny softly snorted, burying his face in Ten's high and mumbling: " _I am the failed musician turned record store owner, not you. Don't say deep shit like that._ "  
  
" _Mr. Johnathan the hot guitarist, it's not like I own the fucking Burj Khalifa. I'm just a small-time dancer here."_  
  
" _Yeah right, ask the students at the academy._ _They think you're fucking Michael Jackson._ "  
  
" _Fair enough..._ **wait Johnny oh my God** , I think the lasagna's burning we left it in the oven for too long."  
  
  
  
  



End file.
